Love At First Sight
by SweetLoveOfMine
Summary: If we were to change one thing in the Hunger Games, it would chage the whole story! What if right from the start Katniss knew how she felt for Peeta and that was love. What would happen to our two tributes? Would they still make it? How would the ending be? This will be all three books.
1. Chapter 1

**Full Summary: if you change one tiny detail about the Hunger Games, would that change the whole book? Yes, I think it would. So the change I have decided to go for is that Katniss from the very start even before the reaping as a wee thing for Peeta. Ever since the cupcake incident (told later on in the story) **

Reaping Day (Katniss's Point of View)

Today is the day that every child in District Twelve dread, probably most people in Panem dread as well. I think back to this morning as I was out hunting with Gale, and he asked if I wanted to run away with him. Looking back on it, as I stand here in the queue to enter the Justice building I wish, I had said yes, only there was one thing holding me back: Peeta.

I had a major crush on him since I was eleven when he threw me the bread that saved my family. I had feelings for him then, but they had built throughout the years till I was thirteen that I truly fell head over heels for him.

"Next." I look up to see the grumpy looking woman waiting to prick my finger. I hand her my finger telling her my name. I don't pay much attention to her, as I am on the lookout for Prim and Peeta. I finally see Prim standing beside a few of the girls from her class. It's her first reaping and she has been nervous for the past month about today. Her name is only in once, when I was her age my name had been put in five times. I had told her whatever she did there was no way she was taking tesserae.

I then look over to the male section, looking for Peeta. I finally pick him out. He looks different, his hair is combed back, unlike the messy mob that he normally has. I make my way over to my area, standing in the middle of the other sixteen year olds.

I see Madge Undersee, nodding at her. She had been my only friend in school and even though she was the Mayor's daughter she wasn't as snobby as the other girls from the town. We would sit together at lunch, her with sandwiches and the strawberries Gale and I had sold to her.

As I remember Gale I looked over my shoulder to see him, again I nodded my head as I saw him standing at the back of his group. We both hated th Hunger Games and anything to do with the Capital. We spent most of our time in the woods making fun of their accents, and many awful things about their appearance.

I quickly turn around as I hear Effie coughing into the microphone, before she rambles on and on about the history or Panem and how we all are in great debt to the Capital, and how great the Hunger Games are! We watch the same presentation ever year and then onto the reaping.

I can feel the girl beside shaking as Effie puts her hand into the glass bowl full of paper slips. A paper slip which could led you to your death.

She picks up one of the slips, before walking over to the microphone again to announce the tribute for this year's games. For once a year the whole District holds it breath.

"Primrose Everdeen."

She looks around the rows searching, searching for Prim. I watch as she makes her way out of the row. I watch as the girls beside me let out their breaths relieved it wasn't them, but all I think about is Prim. How innocent she is? Loving everyone and everything even the world's ugliest cat. She didn't deserve this and I was going to stop it.

"Prim..."

I watch as peacekeepers try and put me back into line but I fight past them, trying to get closer to Prim.

"I volunteer…I volunteer as tribute."

I stand there and watch as everyone turns to stare at me, even the peacekeepers let go of my arm, to just stand and stare at me. It was a known fact that no one in District Twelve had ever volunteered.

I continue to rush over to Prim who has let the tears flow down her cheeks. She tries to stop me, and pulls at me, not wanting me to leave her. I wanted to stay with her, and hold her close and tell her that everything would be alright, but I knew things were different.

I tried to continue on the walk towards the stage, but I feel Prim holding me back. I push forwards before I feel her presence leave me. I turn around to see Gale holding Prim over his shoulder as he ushers me forward not even saying a word.

I continue on the trek towards the stage, this time making it the stage without any inferences. I still feel everyone's eyes on me, and it doesn't feel natural. I look down now as I stand on the stage at the rest of the District.

I feel Effie usher me towards the microphone asking me my name. I try my hardest to keep a calm but strong voice as I break down inside. I can't let people see that I am weak, I need to be strong for Prim, to survive.

Effie continues asking if Prim was my sister. I can't find the voice to tell her that she was, so I just nod my head.

She soon forgets me and heads over to the male tribute bowl, again swishing her hand around the bowl trying to pick another soul to take. Again she makes the walk over to the microphone, all I can hear is the clicking from her heels on the wooden stage.

"Peeta Mellark."

It couldn't be: I take a gasp loud enough for Effie to turn around and look at me. Even the mention of his name brings tears to my eyes. I watch as Haymitch makes fun of my reaction to Peeta's name being called out before he falls of the stage.

All I can do is watch as Peeta makes his way to the stage. No one even thinking of volunteering to take his place. I knew he had two older brothers, one who would have been too old to be in the reaping, but the other just left him to die.

Effie gestures us to shake hands. Peeta is the first to grab hold of my hand, giving it a firm but gentle shake. I once again feel fresh tears flowing down my face.

Peeta goes to turn away, but I don't let go of his hand. He smiles to me, and just stands there holding my hand.

Effie just stands and stares at us, unsure what to make of our actions, but just continues on as normal, pushing Peeta and I of to her right, as she finishes her speeches.

We are then ushered into one of the rooms in the Justice building. I hold on tightly to Peeta's hand. He looks up at me, before leaning over and whispering in my ear:

"Don't worry, I'll be next door."

I let go of his hand, before bushing as I see how white his knuckles are from my grasp. I mouth back to him sorry, but he just shakes his head, and smiles. How was I going to cope?

**Next Chapter: Family talks before heading to the Capital and the train ride. HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE STORY: PLEASE REVIEW!**

**SWEETLOVEOFMINE**


	2. Chapter 2

**Amazing: five reviews. So that sets the bench mark for this story. I need five reviews for each chapter before I update: So onto chapter two.**

I look around the room which I have been ushered into. It is by far the richest room I have ever stepped foot into. It has thick, deep carpets and a velvet couch and chairs. It's hard to believe that there is something so grand in District Twelve were many people are starving and dying from hunger and disease. I try and calm down thinking about the hour that I have to prepare for. When I have to say good-bye to my family. I cannot afford to get upset, to leave the room with puffy eyes and a red nose.

My sister and mother come first. I reach out to Prim and she climbs onto my lap. She is still trembling. My mother sits beside me and wraps her arms around us. We don't speak, just enjoying the silence, hoping that it would stay like this forever. I start to tell them what they have to do while I am gone. Prim is not to take any tesserae. They can get by, if they're careful, on selling Prim's goat milk and cheese and the small apothecary business my mother now runs for the people in the Saem. Gale can bring them food and any herbs that they need.

I turn to my mother, holding onto her arm firmly so she can hear me.

"Listen to me. Are you listening to me?"

She nods, alarmed by my intensity. She must know what's coming.

"You can't leave again."

My mother's eyes go straight to the floor but she nods her head.

"Whatever happens you have to stay. You have to promise me that you will fight through it!"

My voice has risen to a shout. In it is all the anger, all the fear I felt at her abandonment. She pulls her arm from my grasp.

Prim now looks up at me, clearing her throat before she talks:

"I'll be alright, Katniss. But you have to take care, too. You're so fast and brave. Maybe you can win."

I can't win. Even if I make it past the other competitors, I knew I wouldn't be coming home. I would do everything that I could to get Peeta home. I couldn't live with myself I came home and he had been killed.

"Maybe," I say because I can hardly tell my mother to carry on if I've already given up myself. Prim goes on to fantasies about us being as rich as Haymitch.

"I don't care if we're rich. It wouldn't mean anything then."

Prim looks at me not fully understanding what I mean. Nobody knows about the feelings I have for Peeta and I think I will keep it that way till my grave.

And then the Peacekeeper is at the door, signalling our time is up, and we're all hugging one another so hard it hurts and all I'm saying is:

"I love you. I love you both."

And they're saying it back and then the Peacekeeper orders them out and the door closes. I bury my head in one of the velvet pillows: knowing that will be the last time I see my mother or Prim.

Someone else enters the room, and when I look up, I'm surprised to see it's the baker, Peeta Mellark's father. The baker sits awkwardly on the edge of one of the plush chairs. He's big, broad shouldered man with burn scars from years at the ovens. He pulls a white paper package from his jacket pocket and holds it out for me. I stare back at him. I have never spoken a word to this man, apart from trading him squirrels.

"I'm in love with your son."

He stares back at me, and I blush before dropping my eyes to the floor. He chuckles slightly, before placing the package onto my lap.

"He cares for you too. I'm just surprised you care for him too. You will never guess how many times he has wanted to talk to you after the …"

"The cupcake?"

"You remember that?"

"Fondly, it was the second act of kindness I have every had after my father's death: both of them from your son."

"You were the girl he threw the bread to?"

I nod my head again.

"I promise Mr Mellark I will do anything in my power to return you your son."

"Katniss, you can't do that, you have a family you love you very much, a family that need you."

"What would the point of returning be? To have the guilt of him dying, to know that he could have had a life here, with a wife and children."

"Katniss, he wouldn't want that."

"Well what am I supposed to do?"

"Tell him; tell him how you feel about him. That's what he wants to hear. That's what he needs. You'll work something out. You're a fighter."

Fresh tears run down my eyes. I don't know if it is the thought that I might have a chance with Peeta even if it would be only for a few days.

Mr Mellark leans forward and wipes the tears from my eyes. I hug him, trying to tell him how much he has meant to me, even if today was the first time we have had a proper conversation.

At the start he is frozen probably in shock from my actions, but he leans into the hug.

"Thank you, for everything."

"I'll keep an eye on them for you. Make sure they have enough."

"You don't have to do that."

"I've already promised Peeta."

I stand there, why would Peeta make his father do that. He has shown me kindness when I needed it. And now even when he doesn't know how I feel about him he still reaches out to help me."

"Thank you."

He stands and holds each other before a Peacekeeper summons him. He rises and coughs to clear his throat.

"Remember to tell him."

"I will."

My next guest is also unexpected. Madge walks straight to me. She doesn't show any emotion apart from her voice which has a sense of urgency. She probably has been given a small amount of time.

"They let you wear one thing from your district in the arena. One thing to remind you of home. Will you wear this?"

She holds out the circular gold pin that was on her dress earlier. I hadn't paid much attention to it before, but I know see it's a small bird in flight.

I just stare at it in awe. I had never seen anything as beautiful as it was.

"Here, I'll put it on your dress, all right?"

Madge doesn't wait on an answer; she just leans in and fixes the bird to my dress.

"Promise you'll wear it into the arena, Katniss?"

"Promise."

She leans in for a hug and I don't' hesitate. I never really was a hugger but now felt like I could never let go of anyone, or they would be taken away from me.

"Give him a chance."

I look up at her, as she kisses me on the cheek. Then she's gone and I'm left thinking that maybe Madge really had been my friend all along. It then hits me what her words mean. She knew about Peeta. How would she know? Had Mr Mellark told her? I thought he wouldn't tell anyone.

Gale is my last visitor, and he stand beside me.

"Listen, getting a knife should be pretty easy, but you need to get your hands on a bow. That's your best chance."

"They don't always have bows."

"Then make one, even a weak bow is better than no bow."

"What if there is no wood?"

"Katniss, will you just let me speak and stop thinking of the worst possible thing."

I just stare at him, Gale had never spoken to me like that, and I didn't like this side of him.

"I'm scared Gale."

He pulls his arms around me; I don't hesitate to return the embrace.

"I'm sorry I snap at you Catnip, it's just I'm sacred too. It's just I don't want you to go. I should have volunteered instead of Mellark…"

"NO…I mean if we both left who would look after our families. You can't let them starve Gale."

"I promise you I wouldn't."

And with that the Peacekeepers tell us that our time is up and he walks out.

I sit down on one of the chairs pulling my legs up underneath me. Peacekeepers come in and tell me that we need to go now.

I step out of my room and see Peeta stepping out of his. I try and step over to him but one of the Peacekeepers pushes me back into line causing me to bump into another one. The Peacekeepers started to argue amongst one another and I run towards Peeta. He pushes me behind him as we watch the Peacekeepers pushing and shoving one another.

Effie walks in through one of the doors looking to see that the Peacekeepers are arguing as we are standing there unsure what to do.

She starts to shout at them, but they can't hear anything over their own.

A sharp whistle follows through the air and we all turn around to see Haymitch.

"I think Effie and I can take it from here."

We instantly run towards Haymitch trying to get away from the death glares that the Peacekeepers give us.

Effie is straitening her skirt and her wig, before she walks over to us, leading the way to the car that take us to the train station.

I grab Peeta's hand as we make our way down the steps of the Justice building. He looks down at me and smiles.

I seat beside Peeta in the car looking out the window as we are moving. The car is going so fast, and as we stop and get out, I notice how dizzy I feel. I stumble forward before feeling Peeta's strong arms catching me.

"Not used to cars are we."

"I'm rarely in a wagon, so it was my first time."

"It was my first time in a car too. Maybe next time we shouldn't look out the window when it moves."

He chuckles slightly and I can't help but laugh along as well. We stand for a few minutes in the doorway of the train while the cameras gobble up our images: I don't let go of Peeta's hand once. Then we are allowed inside and the doors close mercifully behind us. The train begins to move at once.

Haymitch and Effie stand and stare at us before Effie points her finger at us moving it between Peeta and I.

"What's going on between you too?"

"NOTHING."

We both speak in unison, before putting our hands over our mouth at the same time, which makes Haymitch laugh.

"So Sweetheart, you just hold everyone's hand do you?"

"No, I mean…"

"You have a thing for Peeta then…"

I turn around and look at Peeta, his eyes full of hope. I don't speak but blush and look at the ground.

Effie pushes between us and shows us to our rooms before telling us to change and get ready for dinner. I change into a pair of black trousers and a green blouse before putting on the pin that Madge had given to me.

I head out before tapping on Peeta's door. He opens it and sees that he is almost ready as he has a comb in his hand. He smiles at me, before letting me into his room. It's the exact same as mine. I sit down on his bed as he continues to comb his hair. He turns around and looks at me asking if everything is all right.

"Your father came to see me so he did."

"Oh, he never said. What did he say?"

"He came to give me cookies. I've never had cookies before."

"Which ones did he give you?"

"There are different ones?"

He nods his head and slightly chuckles that I didn't know something so basic to him.

"It was probably chocolate chip. There his favourite."

"He also told me about the cupcake."

He looks up at me and looks down to the floor.

"Oh, you probably didn't remember that. I'm sorry if he made you feel awkward."

"No I remember. I remember everything even the bread. He knew about that too, he just didn't know it was me."

"Yeah, my dad and I are close. I tell him everything."

"I told him I would bring you home."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because, I wouldn't want to come home if you weren't here."

"What do you mean?"

"Peeta, I love you."

"You do?"

"I told your father, and well he told me…"

"Katniss..."

I look up and he has his hands on my waist, guiding my chin up to his face.

"And he told you I felt the same about you."

"It's ok if you have changed your mind…"

I didn't get time to finish before his lips were gently on mine. I instantly responded to his lips.

"I would never change my mind."

We hear Effie knocking on the door.

"Peeta, have you seen Katniss, you both should be at dinner by now."

"I'm in here Effie; I was just waiting on Peeta to brush his hair before we come down.

She pushes the door, and thankfully I had moved back to the bed and Peeta had his comb in his hand so she would believe what I had said.

Nothing really happened over dinner; I kept glancing over at Peeta who sat at the other side of the table. He had entangled his foot around mine and I couldn't help but smile the who time.

After we 'watched' the reaping we headed off to bed. We stopped at the doors of our rooms before I walked over to him and kissed him. I put my arms around his neck and he put his hands on my waist. We stood there like that, kissing, for about ten minutes. We heard someone clearing there throat behind us to see Haymitch, we were in trouble.

**NEXT CHAPTER: SEE HAYMITCH REACTION AND WE HAVE THE CEREMONIES.**

**REMEMBER FIVE REVIEWS BEFORE I WILL UPDATE! I'M NOT KIDDING!**

**SWEETLOVEOFMINE**


	3. Chapter 3

**I can't believe the number of reviews I have got for this story: thank you!**

I jumped as soon as I heard Haymitch behind us.

"So there is nothing going on between you too?"

He says in a slurred voice. He looks at us pointing his finger and a bottle of liquor in his hand... His body sways slightly, and it's got nothing to do with the movement of the train. Peeta is the first one to answer Haymitch.

"Haymitch, I can explain…"

But before he can explain the situation he staggers forward and vomits all over the expensive carpet and falls in the mess. For a moment Peeta and I take in the scene of our mentor trying to rise out of the slippery vile stuff from his stomach. The reek of vomit and raw spirits almost brings my dinner up. We exchange a glance. Peeta and I each take one of Haymitch's arms and help him to his feet.

"I tripped? Smells bad."

He wipes his hand on his nose, smearing his face with vomit.

"Let's get you back to your room. Clean you up a bit."

We half-lead half-carry Haymitch back to his compartment. Since we can't exactly set him down on the embroidered bedspread, we haul him into the bathtub and turn the shower on him. He hardly notices.

"It's okay; I can take it from here."

"No, I'll stay and help."

"Katniss, I'm not sure you want to strip and down and wash out the vomit."

"Yeah, I think I'll wait outside."

I smile back at him, heading out of the bathroom and back out to the corridor. Shutting the door, I slide down to the left of it and wait for Peeta.

BREAK

I feel like I'm flying, I can't feel the ground beneath me, but there is something around me, holding me, but I'm floating. I slowly open my eyes, a bright light catching them. I try and open them again to see that I'm not flying but I'm being carried. I lift my head slightly to see Peeta carrying me.

"Shh, go back to sleep."

I once again go limp in his arms, watching the world go by through the windows. It's dark, but I can see the silhouettes of houses. We must be passing a District, probably five or six. I close my eyes again, and open them again to find that I am in my bed and Peeta is pulling the quilt covers up. I lie back down. Peeta kisses me gently on the forehead, but I once again fall into sleep.

BREAK

I wake up screaming after a nightmare of one of the Career Tribute's spearing Peeta in the stomach as the other's hold me down as I watch him cry out in pain, they come after me, but I am still crying out Peeta's name as I watched his lifeless body before me. I volt forward, probably not the best idea as there is now a pain in my neck. I look around the room, Peeta is nowhere in sight. I have to find Peeta. I swing my legs out of my bed, running through the door, and heading to Peeta's room. I don't even knock as I barge in. The door swings and hits the wall, which jolts Peeta out of his sleep. I ran over to his bed, flinging my arms around his neck, before crying into his shoulder.

"They had you Peeta… it was so really… and they had you…"

"Shh, I'm here, everything's all right."

Peeta has one arm around my waist and the other hand is lightly stroking my hair. He sits up straight pulling me closer to him. My tears run dry and my body has stopped shaking from my sobs.

"Come, how about we get you back into bed."

"No… can I stay with you?"

"Come on."

He pulls the covers to reveal he is only wear pyjama bottoms. I crawl in under the quilt with him, as he wraps his arms around my shoulders pulling me closer towards him. I rest my head onto his chest, and feel myself once again quickly falling asleep.

BREAK

I hear Effie shouting out my name, and the train pulling to a sudden stop. I can hear her shouting out my name. I soon hear Haymitch shouting down the corridor at her.

"Haymitch, she's gone…"

"Did you check Peeta's room?"

"Don't be silly she's a young girl she wouldn't be in there."

"I swear you that she is probably there."

Peeta hasn't even woken up at the sounds of the voices outside his door, and I close my eyes waiting for the two crazy people to slam the door anytime soon.

As on cue the door of Peeta's room slams open and Effie is running around to Peeta's side of the bed.

"Peeta, have you seen…" She looks over beside Peeta, who is now awake from Effie's shouts and screams as she entered the room. "Never mind. I found her Haymitch, tell the driver he can go again, false alarm."

Haymitch is now at the door of the room looking in at us. Well if he forgot last night, he is going to remember this morning.

"Katniss, where are your manners. I don't think sleep in men's beds is a good way to treat this situation."

"I couldn't sleep Effie, I need to beside Peeta, make sure he was safe."

"And why would he not be safe?"

"I had a nightmare."

"Well, we can all see that Peeta here is safe, so I think you should head back to your room now, don't you Katniss."

"Yes."

I slide out of bed, as Effie turns around expecting me to get out of Peeta's bed naked. Haymitch chuckles at the woman's action. I head towards the door but Haymitch blocks the door.

"Effie I think we need to have a serious talk here with our tributes. We don't want extra tributes running around the place, do we now?"

Effie jumps around and looks at Peeta and I.

"They would have the cutest children ever. They could have Peeta's hair and then Katniss's eyes and they could …"

"Effie, the point was we don't want them. Not how cute they would be."

"Yes, no cute children running around the train please."

I feel the blush coming onto my cheeks, as I looked to Peeta and then the ground. I run past Haymitch and into my room to get ready for breakfast. I keep the outfit on and just fix my hair slightly.

As I enter the dining car, Effie brushes by me with a cup of black coffee. Haymitch, his face puffy and red from the previous day's indulgences, is chuckling. Peeta holds a roll and looks somewhat embarrassed. It's as if they had forgotten this morning.

"Sit down! Sit down! Says Haymitch, waving me over. The moment I slide into my chair I'm served an enormous platter of food. Eggs, ham, piles of fried potatoes. A tureen of fruit sits in ice to keep it chilled. The basket of rolls they set before me would keep my family going for a week, there's an elegant glass of orange juice. At least I think it's orange juice. A rich brown cup of something I've never seen.

"They call it hot chocolate, it's so good."

I sip at it firstly, before I decide it was one of the best things I have ever tasted.

"So, you're supposed to give us advice." I say to Haymitch

"Stay alive."

"That's very funny: only not to us."

Haymitch considers this a moment, then punches Peeta in the jaw, knocking him from his chair. When he turns back to reach for the spirits, I drive my knife into the table between his hand and the bottle, barely missing his fingers. I rush over to Peeta, making sure he is ok.

"Well, what's this?" says Haymitch. "Did I actually get a pair of fighters this year?"

I lift some ice from under the fruit tureen. I start to raise the ice to the red mark on Peeta's jaw.

"No," says Haymitch stopping me. "Let the bruise show, the audience will think he mixed it up with another tribute before you've even made it to the arena."#

"That's against the rules," says Peeta.

"Only if they catch you. That bruise will say you fought, you weren't caught, even better," says Haymitch. He turns to me. "Can you hit anything with that knife bedside a table?"

I realise that if I want Haymitch's attention, this is my moment to make an impression. I yank the knife out of the table, get a grip on the blade, and then throw it into the wall across the room. I was actually just hoping to get a good solid stick, but it lodges in the seam between two panels, making me look a lot better than I am.

"Stand over here. Both of you," says Haymitch, nodding to the middle of the room. We obey and he circles us. He pokes me and Peeta gives him a glare.

"All right, I'll make a deal with you. You don't interfere with my drinking, and I'll stay sober enough to help you," says Haymitch "But you have to do exactly what I say?"

"Fine" says Peeta. I stand there glaring at him, till Peeta nudges me gently.

"Fine."

"Ok, in a few minutes, we'll be pulling into the station. You'll be put into the hands of your stylists. You're not going to like what they do to you. But no matter what it is, don't resist," says Haymitch.

"But –"I begin.

"No buts. Don't resist," says Haymitch. He turns around to Peeta. "I'm glad you're here, or hell would have broken lose with Sweetheart over here."

He grabs his bottle of liquor and walks out the door. Peeta and I stand in silence for a couple of minutes as the train speeds along. The tunnel goes on and on and I think of the tons of rock separating me from the sky, and my chest tightens. I hate being encased in stone tis way. It reminds me if the mines and my father, trapped, unable to reach sunlight, buried forever in the darkness. I tremble slightly, but I feel Peeta's protect arm around my shoulder.

The train finally begins to slow and suddenly the bright light floods the compartment. We can't help it. Both Peeta and I run to the window hand in hand, to see what we've only seen on television, the Capital, the ruling city of Panem. The cameras haven't lied about it grandeur. If anything, they have not quiets captured the magnificence of the glistening buildings in a rainbow of hues that tower into the air., the shiny cars that roll down the wide paved streets, the oddly dressed people with bizarre hair and painted faces who have never missed a meal. All the colours seem artificial, the pinks too deep the greens to bright, the yellows painful to the eyes, like the flat round disks of hard candy that we can never afford to buy at the tiny sweet shop in District 12.

The people begin to point at us eagerly as they recognise the tribute train rolling into the city. I step away from the window, sickened by their excitement, knowing they can't wait to watch us die. But Peeta pulls me back towards the window.

"Katniss, we need to please the people, get sponsors, it will help us in the arena."

I know he is right do we stand at the window and wave at the people who pass us by, only stopping when we reach the station.

BREAK

After having every part of my body scrubbed and polished I am now looking at the cold white walls and floor and resist the impulse to retrieve my robe. But this Cinna, my stylist, will surely make me remove it at once. Instead my hands go to my hairdo, the one area of my body my prep team have been told to leave alone.

The door opens and a young man who must be Cinna enters. I'm taken aback by how normal he looks.

"Hello Katniss. I'm Cinna your stylist."

"Hello."

"Just give me a moment, all right? "He asks. He walks around my naked body, not touching me, but taking in every inch of it with his eyes. I resist the impulse to cross my arms over my chest. "Who did your hair?"

"My mother," I say.

"It's beautiful. Classic really. And in almost perfect balance with your profile. She has very clever fingers," he says.

"You're new, aren't you?"

"Yes, this is my first year in the Games."

"So they gave you District Twelve."

"I asked for District Twelve. Why don't you put on your robe and we'll have a chat."

Pulling on my robe, I follow him through a door into a sitting room.

"So Katniss, about your costume for the opening for the opening ceremonies. My partner, Portia, is the stylist for your fellow tribute, Peeta. And our current thought is to dress you in complementary costumes since you are obviously very close. As you know, it's customary to reflect the flavour of the District."

"So, I'll be in a coal miner's outfit?"

"Not exactly. You see, Portia and I think that coal miner thing's very overdone. No one will remember you in that. And we both see it as our job to make the District Twelve tributes unforgettable," says Cinna

I'll be naked for sure, I think.

"So rather than focus on the coal mining itself, we're going to focus on the coal," says Cinna.

Naked and covered in black dust, I think.

"And what do we do with coal? We burn it," says Cinna. "You're not afraid of fire, are you Katniss?" He sees my expression and grins.

A few hours later, I am dressed in what will either be the most sensational or the deadliest costume in the opening ceremonies. I'm in a simple black unitard that covers me from ankle to neck. Shiny leather boots lace up to my knees. But it's fluttering cape made of streams of orange, yellow and red and the matching headpiece that define this costume. Cinna plans to light them on fire just before our chariot rolls into the streets.

I'm relieved when Peeta shows up, dressed in an identical suit. As we stand in the elevator bringing us to the bottom floor of the Remake Centre he pulls me closer to him and holding out his hand which I instantly take into my own.

We head over towards the Chariot, Peeta getting in first, only letting go of my hand so he can get into the Chariot. He then lifts me up so I am now standing beside him in the Chariot. I have never been this close to a horse before, so I feel very vulnerable up here. I hold onto Peeta's hand knowing that he is probably not as nervous as I am.

"What do you think?" I whisper to Peeta. "About the fire?"

"I'll rip off your cape if you'll rip off mine," he says through gritted teeth.

"Deal, "I say. I begin to move closer to Peeta. He looks down at me, with a grin on his face.

"I never thought I would see Katniss scared of fire."

"It remind me too much of the mines, Peeta."

"Shh, it will be over soon and then we get to go to our new rooms. And more hot chocolate…"

"Are you trying to say all I am thinking about is food?"

"No, I wouldn't dream of it. Where is Haymitch, anyway? Isn't he supposed to protect us from this sort of thing?" says Peeta.

"With all the alcohol in him, it's probably not advisable to have him around an open flame," I say.

And suddenly we are both laughing. The opening music begins. It's easy to hear, blasted around the Capital. Massive doors slide open revealing the crowd – lined streets. The ride lasts about twenty minutes and ends up at the City Circle, where they will welcome us, play the anthem and escort us into the Training Centre, which will be our home/prison until the Games begin.

Cinna appears with a lighted torch. "Here we go then," he says, and before we can react he sets our capes on fire. I gasp waiting for the heat, but there is only a faint tickling sensation. He then goes to ignite our headdresses. He then looks down at our hands, before giving Peeta the thumbs up.

I turn around to look at Peeta, before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before we move out into the city.

The crowd's initial alarm at our appearance quickly changes to cheers and shouts of 'District Twelve' I feel unnerved by everyone staring at me, but I feel Peeta once again giving me another reassuring squeeze. I squeeze and it then becomes a game of who can squeeze the best. As I gain confidence, I actually blow kisses to the crowd. The people of the Capital are going crazy, showering us with flowers, shouting our names, our first names, which they bothered to find on the program.

It's not until we enter the City Circle that I realize must have completely stopped the circulation in Peeta's hand. That's how tightly I've been holding it. I look down at our linked fingers. I lean towards Peeta before whispering into his ear:

"Sorry, but something tells me I win this time."

"Don't worry we still have the training scores, and the interviews, I'm sure I'll get you then. "

The whole time during the President's speech I'm looking up at Peeta, as he looks back down at me.

We enter the training centre and as soon as the doors have closed, we're engulfed by the prep teams, who are nearly unintelligible as they babble out praise. As I glance around, I notice a lot of other tributes are shooting us dirty looks, which confirms what I suspected, we've literally outshone them all.

Then Cinna and Portia are there helping us down from the Chariot, just like Peeta had helped me into the Chariot. The carefully remove our flaming capes and head dresses. Portia extinguishes them with some kind of spray from a canister.

I look up at Peeta and kiss lightly on his bruise which Haymitch had given him this morning. He lightly kisses my cheek as well. I turn around to see the prep teams are almost in tears and Cinna eyeing me suspiciously.

Effie and Haymitch are now running over. Effie is the first one to speak.

"Where were your manners? Speaking during a speech. I'm going have to teach you both a lesson in manners, when we get back to the room."

Haymitch just laughs, knowing that Effie will stick to her promise. "Well, you have gained sponsors tonight, but I think we also gained some enemies."

"Oh, nonsense Haymitch, there just jealous that their stylists aren't anywhere near as good as Cinna and Portia are."

"Just watch out, especially the Careers they wouldn't be overly pleased."

We all headed towards the elevator, Portia and Cinna at the front talking about training outfits, Effie and Haymitch talking about different angles for training and Peeta and Katniss bringing up the rear, only thinking of the other.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry guys for the late update! Snow has basically stopped everything from happening so I have just sat down and started writing updates for all my stories since last night! Hopefully it wouldn't take too long to get back on track! I want to thank everyone for encouraging me for my stories and thanking for all people who have already reviewed, followed or shown any support to my stories: Thank You!**

**Thanks again!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN THE HUNGER GAMES!**

* * *

We are shown into our suite which is on floor number twelve with Effie explaining that because we come from District Twelve that we are on floor twelve: didn't take much thinking to figure that out! However, the place is beautiful. I had always thought that Madge's house had been beautiful and it was but it had nothing on this floor, it was beautiful. Everything looked new, and it probably was. We were ushered down one of the corridors which Effie told us would be our sleeping quarters. It was hard to believe that something so beuatiful could in such a cold place. Peeta had followed me into my room, before sitting down on the bed in the middle of the room.

"I thought the beds on the train were big: look at this one! I think all of my brothers could fit in this one and maybe mum and my dad. Katniss..." I turned around to look at him as I was watching the people celebrating the start of the Hunger Games, their shouts you could hear easily through the window.

"Do you think they really understand what they are doing when they send us in there? Do they think we aren't someones children? What would they think if we sent them into the arena or if we were to send their children in there? Peeta... it's not fair." I could feel the tears threatening to appear as I felt as if I was losing control of my emotions.

"Katniss they don't know any better, this is what they have been taught to believe, it's going to be ok. I'll look after you, that is all we need to worry about at the moment, not what other people think, we just need to worry about ourselves."

I went and sat down beside Peeta as he sat up letting me sit down beside him, placing my head almost on his shoulder.

* * *

Peeta's Point of View

Her head was right above my shoulder, almost leaning on it. A stray piece of hair that must have escaped her braid blocked her eyes from my view. Without thinking, I reached out and gently placed the strand behind her ear. Her head snapped up at my touch and our eyes locked. A warm bubbling sensation exploded from the pit of my stomach and expanded over my chest, making it difficult to breathe. Her stormy grey eyes pulled me in and, before I realized what I was doing, I pressed my lips against hers, gently at first but then more demanding as my hand tangled itself in her hair.

Her lips were warm and soft. I was beyond all reason as I pushed her against the bed, my free hand sliding to the small of her back. There was no turning back at this point. I kissed her as hard as I could, savoring the moment not knowing if this would be out last. I felt her hands begin to move, gracefully traveling up my body and over my chest. Her hands suddenly clutched at my shirt, pulling me in closer. I could feel her trying to pull me down onto the bed, and I wasn't going to say no. I could feel the bolder Katniss coming out as her hand found it self under my shirt, feeling its way up my chest once again, trying to be as close as we could be. As we continued to kiss I could feel Katniss pulling at the hem of my shirt, breaking the kiss we pulled my shirt of together.

"Can I touch you? Where you are touching me? You don't need to take you shirt off..."

"Peeta, take it off please..."

I pulled off Katniss shirt, revealing her in only a small white lace bra, she may not have the biggest breasts in the world, but they were the most beautiful boobs on the most beautiful woman. I ran my hand up and down her side, getting her used to the feel of me touching her before, starting to palm her breasts. She instantly started to moan. Her nipples hardened and it went straight to my manhood which was hardening on the spot.

"If you would both stop having sex, we might actually be able to have our dinner, and then you can head off to your own rooms and hopeful stay there the rest of the night, so you can be ready for training in the morning." Katniss and I both jumped, Katniss pulling the closest shirt around her breasts, the shirt just so happened to be mine. As soon as Katniss left me, I could instantly see that I had gotten excited during my little moment with Katniss and grabbed the pillow to cover what my trousers were revealing. Haymitch just stood there staring at the two of us, looking like he was finding it difficult to hold back a laugh at the expense of the two of us.

* * *

After I had a very cold shower I was able to join the rest of them at the dinner table. Portia and Cinna had come to join us all for dinner, trying to get a feel for the two of us. Cinna and Portia however, were unable to get much chat out of Katniss until I returned to the table, and then Haymitch made a comment on what we had been doing in the bedroom and then she just blushed a crimson colour and looked down into her lap. The rest of the dinner, there wasn't much conversation, unless you count the own that Effie was having with herself.

Finally, it came to the time that we were allowed to be excused for dinner, however, as soon as Katniss and I made a beeline for our bedrooms we were stopped by Haymitch and called back to the table.

"I think it is about time we have the talk with you two, and then Cinna will show Katniss to her room and Portia will show Peeta to your room, we will make sure that we will be having no sleepover's tonight. So let's begin...You know that people are like puzzle pieces... girls have innie pieces and boys have outy pieces..."

"Haymitch, please..."

"No, Peeta, you almost had you outy piece in Katniss's innie place earlier, we need to talk about this." Thankfully Portia and Cinna grabbed both Katniss and I from the table and told Haymitch that they were taking us to bed.

* * *

Katniss's POV

I could still feel the blush on my face just thinking about what Haymitch was talking about in the dinning room. Even though my mother was a healer, I had never once had a sex talk with my mother and even though I knew were little apart from the few things we had learnt in school, there was no way I was going to learn it from Haymitch. After being pulled into my room by Cinna, I walked over towards the dresser, looking for the drawer which would contain clothes that I could sleep in. After looking through the first few drawers , slamming them shut when I couldn't find them, I turned around to ask Cinna. He was already standing there holding a pair of long pyjammas, pulling the top cover of my bed down. I head towards the bathroom to change, coming back in to find Cinna sitting on one of the chairs in the room.

"You can see I'm getting into bed...You can go..."

"I wanted to talk to you about Peeta. Don't panic I'm not going to do a Haymitch here. I just want to make sure you know what you two are doing. You are going into the arena in five days. Should you be allowing him into your life now?"

"Cinna I spent most of my teenage years, dreaming about the time Peeta would notice me, and that I would have the courage to talk to him. Two of my vistors came to me, telling me that I should give the boy a chance, and I will. I could be dead in the next week, and I would never got to experience what I have experienced in the last two days."

"What happens if you don't make it out? What happens if you do and he doesn't? There is only one Victor."

"I don't know about that, I don't want to think like that."

"Katniss you have to think like that!"

"Cinna, please just go, I need my rest for the morning."

"Good Night Katniss." As soon as Cinna closed the door I let the tears flow down my face, and let sleep take over my body.

* * *

**So sorry for the long delay. But I have some news for you all! I am pregnant! I have been sick for the past couple of weeks, me and my boyfriend are looking forward to our little one who is due on... 23rd November!**

**I would like to thank you for your continued support!**


	5. Chapter 5

This morning at breakfast, was an awkward affair. I wasn't speaking to Cinna, and nobody was speaking to Haymitch. Peeta however, was still trying to be his friendly self: actually he probably doesn't even need to try, it's just in him. Even in the worse situations he has a smile plastered on his face. He reminds me so much of Prim, always looking at the positive side of life: sometimes I think it was those two who should have been related, they looked physical alike and their personalities were almost identical.

After a long drawn out breakfast: Effie finally realized the time, and that we were now running behind. After quickly getting a briefing about how to go about training we would pushed into the elevator with Effie. Peeta stood beside me, looking out the window as we flew quickly down the thing. I had to close my eyes, as I use not liking the speed this thing goes at. Peeta had now noticed my discomfort, having grabbed my hand and was rubbing small circles on the back of my hand, trying to calm me down.

"Now, I need you two to behave, because I am still disappointed in you both for talking during the President's speech, how very rude! But, this is what happens with people in the Districts...Just not brought up the way we were in the Capital." I could feel my anger already growing as Effie continue to walk on, while she insulted us. Made fun of where we had come from.

"We are very sorry Effie, we didn't mean to offend anyone, and we promise not to do it again. Right Katniss...Katniss?" I looked over into his face and regretted it instantly, he wanted me to apologize to this woman, no way.

"Right." I continue to quicken my steps wanting to get as far away from Effie as I possibly could.

When we finally arrived at the training room, everyone was standing waiting for us. We were the last to arrive. I looked around the room as the head trainer started to explain to us what would happen. I could see that most of us were scared, however there were a few who weren't as scared by this news: the Careers. District One, male was more skinny and tall than muscular compared to the other Careers I had seen from his District. and fit. He has short light brown hair and green eyes. His District Partner was tall, with emerald green eyes and flowing blond hair. She had been described as beautiful and sexy, during last nights parade, and it wasn't hard to see why! The District Two female was like most Careers from her District, was strong, healthy, brawny and fit. She has dark hair tied up in a high ponytail, dark eyes, and some freckles. She couldn't have been more than 5'4," which made her slightly smaller than most of the other tributes. However, her District Partner was something else: tall, strong, and fierce looking. He stood with a look of self pride and it was irritating.

It wasn't until Peeta started to squeeze my hand did I notice that everyone was now heading to different stations, and that Peeta and I were still holding hands.

"What did I miss?"

"Katniss, you can't just blank out like that, what if we were in the arena?" The look of fear and worry were covering his face.

"I'm sorry Peeta, I wouldn't do it again."

"Is there are problem over here?" We looked up to see the head trainer, heading over towards us as we were still standing even after she had finished talking to us almost five minutes ago.

"No, just trying to agree on what station we want to go to first."

"I would say go to one of the survival stations first, they are very important."

"Thank You, I think we will go now." Peeta started to pull me towards the fire making station.

* * *

We continue to go through the different survival stations until lunch. We were all rushed into a line, before heading towards the lunch room. It still amazed me at the amount of food that the Capital had. I knew that they didn't have any of the struggles that the Districts had, but it wasn't until you were there for yourself that you noticed how well off they were.

After quickly lifting a few bits and piece to make a sandwich I went in search of a table for me and Peeta. I finally found one in the far right hand corner. Most of the other people were sitting with their District Partner or if you were the Careers you were sitting with each other, laughing away as if they had known each other for all their life. I looked up trying to find Peeta, so I wouldn't be eating my lunch on my own. I say him in the crowd, but he wasn't alone. He was talking away to the District Five Female, as well as the boy with the crippled foot. Just like Peeta to make a friend of the soon to be enemy.

Of course he invited them to eat with us, and of course they accepted. In the end we had slightly more people than the Careers. There was Peeta and I, Foxface (District Five girl), Thomas, Thresh and Rue. Peeta went in to detail, telling them all about his favourite topic: bread! I watched as he continued to tell stories to the other girls especially Rue, who was enjoying having something to take her mind off the upcoming Games. He was always a talker, but he would always talk with his hands, through them into the air, trying to get his point across. However, the very few times that he wasn't talking or using his hands, the one closest to me, would slip under the table and rub my knee: comforting me, reminding me that he was here for me.

* * *

We returned after our hour for lunch, and headed back into the training room for the last three hours before we would be dismissed for dinner. We decided we would try some of the other survival activities such as fishing and camouflage. In the end, we had to spilt up: I was rubbish at camouflage while Peeta was rubbish at fishing. There weren't many people who bothered us, as we continue on for the rest of the afternoon. I was so engrossed in my fishing, that I didn't notice when Peeta, came up behind me, trying to tickle by sides. However, it backfired on him greatly. I was probably the most ticklish person you will ever meet and as soon as Peeta's fingers hit my side, I leapt into the air. Peeta trying to be the hero, tried to catch me, but whatever happened, I was now swimming with the fish, that I had been trying to catch.

Everyone turned around as soon as they heard the splash. Peeta's face was panicked as I came up to the surface, trying to get someone to come and get me out of the water. In the end Peeta was the one screaming and shouting as I swam over to the fish, grabbed it with my hands and climbed out of the make shift pool.

"You... You can swim?" Oh, yeah I forgot, we had no 'lake' for me to learn how to swim, no one apart from Gale and I knew about the lake, which would lead to only the two of us learning how to swim.

"Emm...we have a big bath, we could do laps in it."

"Don't scare me like that again! I mean it Katniss, you almost killed me."

"Don't scare you, Peeta you were the one who tickled me. But, I got the fish." Holding it up cross to his face, so he could see me now rewards as I was now dripping wet. The trainers had now come over to see what Peeta had been screaming about and as soon as they saw me, they rushed over handing me towel, and wanting to bring me up to my room immediately, hoping that I hadn't caught the cold while I was in the water.

Once again, I still hadn't adjusted to the speed the elevator went at, and was standing there with the head trainer, and Peeta. He was by my side, arms over my shoulders with the towel, trying to keep me warm and dry me off all at the same time. As soon as the door opened, Effie walked out, and upon seeing the two of us and the head, thought the worse.

"What have you pair done now? You both promised you would behave."

"It was an accident Ms Trinket. Someone just had a wee slip up in the pool, not the first and most certainly not the last. Just wanted to get her changed out of these wet clothes, wouldn't want her to get sick before she went into the Games."

"Of course not, come on dear, lets go get you changed." Of course as soon as I moved forward so did Peeta, and Effie doesn't seem to be in the mood for him right now.

"You stay here, and I will send Haymitch out to keep you both out of trouble, while a get this poor girl some clean clothes... Stay!"

* * *

Peeta's Point of View

It wasn't until after dinner were we alone again. She had whispered to me during dinner that I was to come to her room as soon as I thought the close was clear, so we could talk. Of course as soon as I seen her, I couldn't help myself.

My lips brush hers, gently at first. She smiles briefly against my mouth, then her hands tangle in my hair and she pulls me closer.

I have never been able to get over feeling of kissing Katniss, even though we are always at each other daily, sometimes I am surprised that we haven't been caught yet. It almost hurts if I think about it too much. I get an ache in my stomach that has nothing to do with lust, just pure, untainted love. My lip coax hers open, and I feel her warm breath mingle with mine. I kiss her again and again, and she does the same back to me. Her tongue traces my lip faintly, and I copy her, tasting every bit of her I can. My back has somehow got pressed against wall of her bedroom, and there's a tiny peg digging into my back, but I don't care. Her hair is so silky smooth to touch, and I run my hands through it, marvelling at the softness. One of my hands slides down to her back, and I pull her even closer. She keeps a hand in my hair, and the other wraps around the back of my neck. I kiss her more fiercely, and she responds instantly, pushing me harder into the wall. I can feel her pressed into every inch of me, and I know I will never want for anything if this is what I have forever.

Katniss is all I want. She is effortless, strong, amazingly wonderful and beautiful, and I will never stop loving her.

* * *

**I have some news for you all! I am pregnant! I have been sick for the past couple of weeks, me and my boyfriend are looking forward to our little one who is due on... 23rd November! I just want to thank everyone who has already been encouraging me so far with my news.**

**Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and that there was enough fluff for everyone out there! Wouldn't want to take away your Everlark cravings! Hope to**

**I would like to thank you for your continued support**

**hear from you all soon!**


	6. Chapter 6

Time continued to fly, and in no time at all we were sitting waiting for the private sessions we would be having with the Gamekeepers. District by District, first the boy, then the girl tribute. As usual District Twelve is slated to go last. We linger in the dinning room, unsure of were else to go. No one comes back once they have left. As the room empties, the pressure begins to increase more and more. By the time they call Rue, we are left alone. We sit there in silence, holding each others hand, until they summon Peeta. He rises.

"Remember what Haymitch said about being sure to throw the weights." The words come out of my mouth with out permission.

"Thanks. I will," he says. "You...shoot straight."

I quickly rise from my seat and give him a light kiss on the cheek. He smiles at me, before moving away towards the room.

After about fifteen minutes, they call my name. I smooth my hair, set my shoulders back and walk into the gymnasium. Instantly, I know I'm in trouble. They've been here too long, the Gamekeepers. Sat through twenty-three other demonstrations. Had too much wine, most of them. Want more than anything to go home.

There's nothing I can do but continue with the plan. I walk to the archery station. Oh, the weapons! I've been itching to get my hands on them for days! Bows made of wood and plastic, and metal and materials. I can't even name. Arrows with feathers cut in flawless uniform lines. I choose a bow, string it and sling the matching quiver of arrows over my shoulder. There's a shooting range, but it's much to limited. Standard bull's eye and human silhouettes. I walk to the centre of the gymnasium and pick my first target. The dummy used for knife practice. Even as I pill back on the bow I know something is wrong. The strong is tighter than the one I use at home. The arrow's more rigid. I miss the dummy by a couple of inches and lose what little attention I had been commanding. For a moment, I'm humiliated, then I head back to the bull's eye. I shoot again and again until I get the feel for the new weapons.

Back in the center of the gymnasium, I take my initial position and skewer the dummy right through the heart. Then I ever the rope that holds the sandbag for boxing and the bag splits open as it slams to the ground. Without pausing, I shoulder roll forward, come up on one knee, and send an arrow into one of the hanging lights above the gymnasium floor. A shower of sparks bursts from the fixture.

It's excellent shooting . I turn to the Gamemakers. A few are nodding approvasl, but the majority of them are fixated on a roast pig that has just arrived at their banquet table.

Suddenly I am furious, that with my life on the line, they don't even have the decency to pay attention to me. That I'm being upstaged by a dead pig. My heart starts to pound, I can feel my face burning. Without thinking, I pull an arrow from my quiver and send it straight at the Gamemakers' table. I hear shouts of alarm as people stumble back. The arrow skewers the apple in the pig's mouth and pins it to the wall behind it. Everyone stares at me in disbelief.

"Thank you for your consideration," I say. Then I give a slight bow and walk straight toward the exit without being dismissed.

* * *

As I stride toward the elevator, I fling my now to one side and my quiver to the other. I brush past the gaping Avoxes who guard the elevators and hit the number twelve button with my fist. The doors slide together and I zip upward. I actually make it back to my floor before the tears start running down my cheeks. I can hear the others calling me from the sitting room, but I fly down the hall into my room, bolt the door and fling myself onto my bed. Then I begin to sob.

Now I've done it! Now I've ruined everything! If I'd stood even a ghost of a chance, it vanished when I sent that arrow flying at the Gamemakers. What will they do to me now? Arrest me? Execute me? Cut my tongue and turn me into an Avox so I can wait on the future tributes of Panem. What was I thinking, shooting at the Gamemakers? Of course, I wasn't. I was shooting at the apple because I was angry at being ignored. I wasn't trying to kill one of them. If I were, they'd be dead!

Oh, what does it matter? It's not like I was going to win the Games anyway. Who cares what they do to me? What really scared me is what they might do to my mother and Prim, how my family might suffer now because of my impulsiveness. Will they take their few belongings, or send my mother to prison, and Prim to the community home, or kill them? They wouldn't kill them, would they? Why not? What do they care?

What about Peeta? Oh my word Peeta? I never asked him, how he got on! What would happen if they punished him as well! What would happen if they killed him?

Haymitch and Effie are knocking on my door. I shout for them to go away and eventually they do. However, they send Peeta down to help me. I open the door, after he asks me desperately to open up the door. As I go back to sit on top of my bed.

He holds out his hand, bringing me to my feet, and then wraps his arms around me. I have hugged Peeta plenty of times but this time it felt different, but it felt necessary also. It was as if his arms holding me were literally holding me together. I pulled back from his hold, keeping his eyes. No words. There was no need. When He took my hands into his, I shook my head slowly. It didn't work. "Please, Katniss tell me."

I shook my head more frantically. "I could hurt you., I was so stupid. I just got angry, I didn't mean it!"

"You won't," he told me, holding one hand and walking me towards my bed. I followed reluctantly.

Pulling the covers back, he sat up in the middle of the cold bed. I remained standing at the side of the bed not advancing. "Peeta."

"Katniss." He sighed and moved out of the bed to walk over to me. With a simple grab of the wrist and a pull toward the bed, I followed numbly. I stopped again at the edge, so he sat near the edge too. "Please," he begged. He was tired, He needed to sleep. He needed to _really_ sleep. Please, Katniss."

"I might hurt you…"

"I don't care." He grabbed my arm and pulled me to lie down on the bed next to him.

I laid a forearm's length away, not touching him. He moved to drape the blanket over to two of us, enveloping the warmth. Yawning, my eyes drooped again.

He moved to inch closer to me and he grabbed my arms for a fourth time and moved to wrap my arm around him- like it had been five minutes ago. I resisted and it took him aback. I didn't shake off his hold. "I'll hurt you."

"No," he whispered, pressing his tired head to rest against the base of my neck. He held both my hands between our bodies.

"Yes," I replied. I let out a long breath before placing a hand on the side of his head. His heart raced but I wasn't scared. I pulled my head back to look at him. I blinked tiredly. His fingers slowly drifted from the spot by my ear down my cheek, along my chin, and down to graze at my neck.

"Katniss, please tell me. What happened..."

"I shot an arrow at the Gamekeepers."

"You what?"

"I shot an arrow at them. Not exactly at them. In their direction. I was shooting and they were ignoring me and I just lost my head, so I shot an apple out of their stupid roast pig's mouth!" I say defiantly.

"Oh, Katniss."

"What about my family?" I say. "Will they punish them?"

"No, Katniss, cause they would have to tell everyone what happened in the Training Centre."

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled himself as close as he could. He brought warmth, the sort we both so desperately needed at one time. The kind I sort of needed right now.

After awhile of drifting between sleep and awake, my arms moved to envelope him as well. His face pressed into the top of my hair and I could feel his breathe against my scalp. And then, I was able to drift off into a peaceful, worry free, dream.

* * *

**I have some news for you all! I am pregnant! I have been sick for the past couple of weeks, me and my boyfriend are looking forward to our little one who is due on... 23rd November! I just want to thank everyone who has already been encouraging me so far with my news.**

**Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and that there was enough fluff for everyone out there! Wouldn't want to take away your Everlark cravings! Hope to**

**I would like to thank you for your continued support! It would also be amazing if were to go onto my profile page and maybe read some of my other stories as well! **

**1. Cross Love: Cato and Katniss**

**2. Closing the Bottle: Katniss and Peeta**

**3. Running Up That Hill: Annie and Finnick**

**hear from you all soon!**


	7. Chapter 7

We are quickly called to have dinner with the rest of the District Twelve floor. Everyone sits and stares at Peeta and I. All wanting to ask the same question as each other, but not wanting to either get my angry or upset again. However, Haymitch of course is the one who finally asks the dreaded question!

"Sweetheart! What have you done this time?"

I slowly sit up, grabbing hold of Peeta's hand and saying what Peeta made me practice before coming to the dinner table. "I shot an arrow at the gamekeepers."

Cinna and Haymitch both spit out whatever they are drinking and Effie and Portia both have gasped at my confession. It isn't until Haymitch starts a full blown laugh that I feel myself starting to settle down and that I know that I might need to remind them that this is my life at stake and is once again no laughing matter.

"Haymitch... What am I going to do? What are they going to do with me? My family? Peeta?"

"What are they going to do with you? They are going to send you two into the Games. They can't kill you now, they can't hurt your family. They know who your sister is and they needed them for the interview when it comes down to the last eight, which you both will be in."

"So, they aren't going to do anything with me?"

"No, they can't do anything with you. But tell me what was there faces like?"

"They were... they were surprised. I don't think they were expecting something like that from me. An image pops into my mind. "One man tripped backward into a bowl of punch."

"Well, it serves them right. It's their job to pay attention to you. And just because you come from District Twelve is no excuse to ignore you. Peeta, what did you do?"

I feel horrible because I never asked Peeta what he had done. I had spent the whole time in my own self pity that I never asked him how he had got on.

"I lifted some weights, I throw some knives and I used some paints as well."

"Well we will have to wait and see how you two did then after dinner. Anyone else have anything else to add to this?"

"Katniss, I have something to add... have you never ever heard how rude and dangerous what you have just done..."

"I wasn't talking to you!" Haymitch says to Effie and we finally finish our dinner and have our desert.

* * *

We are all sitting around the giant television, waiting to hear the scores I am sitting on a loveseat with Peeta by my side.

"I'll get a very bad score," I say to Peeta.

"Scores only matter if they're very good, no one pays much attention to the bad or mediocre ones. For all they know, you could be hiding your talents to get a low score on purpose. People use that strategy," said Portia.

"I hope that's how people interpret the four I'll probably get, says Peeta. "If that. Really is anything less impressive than watching a person pick up a heavy ball and throw it a couple of yards. One almost landed on my foot." I grin at him, before placing a light kiss on his cheek trying my best to reassure him that he did well.

First they show a photo of the tribute, then flash their score below it. The Career Tributes naturally get in the eight - to - ten range. Most of the other player average a five. Surprisingly, little Rue comes up with a seven. I don't know what she showed the judges, but she's so tiny it must have been impressive.

District 12 comes up last, as usual. I grab Peeta's hand and quickly give his hand a tight squeeze as his picture shows up. Peeta pulls an eight so at least a couple of the Gamemakers must have been watching him. I grab his face, and place a light kiss on his lips. My picture flies onto the screen and I badly want to dig my fingernails into my palms, but Peeta, is holding onto my hand. Then they're flashing the number eleven on the screen.

Eleven!

Effie Trinket lets out a squeal, then same time I do as Peeta pulls me onto his lap so he can kiss me fiercely on the lips. Everybody is slapping me on the back and cheering and congratulating me. But it doesn't seem real.

"There must be a mistake. How...how could that happen? I ask Haymitch.

"Guess they liked you temper," He says. "They've got a show to put on. They need some players with heat."

"Katniss, the girl who was on fire," says Cinna and gives me a hug. "Oh, wait until you see your interview dress. More importantly wait until Peeta sees you interview dress."

"More flames?" I ask.

"Of a sort," he says mischievously.

Peeta still has me on his lap and he kisses me once again on the lips but no where near as fiercely as he had when I first had seen my score. We have both done well and I know for once that we both have a change of making it out of the arena.

Peeta and I quickly escape to my room as quickly as possible and burrow ourselves down under the covers, holding onto each others hand, placing light kisses on the others' cheek.

* * *

**I want to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter you all mean so much to me! I want to thank all of the people who pm me during my small time if no updates! I am now slightly over 15weeks pregnant and I had my finally music exam! So we are all set for the summer! I am heading out to Lanzarote for 2 weeks! I need to try and update my stories better! Well, I hope you all are having a wonderful morning/afternoon/evening! **

**I want to just ask you all to be patient with me! I have had a lot of messages on this story especially wanting to know why I haven't been updating as regularly as I should. I am PREGNANT! I am a STUDENT! I live in the REAL WORLD! I am currently trying to prepare for a CONFERENCE WHICH I AM SPEAKING AT SO PLEAVE GIVE ME TIME! **

**Hope to update this story and all my other stories soon!**


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